Is 32 A Good Act Score

To show you just how good, we have to look at the percentiles. A 32 ACT score puts you at the 97th percentile — that means you scored higher than 97% all test takers! Congratulations!

What Is a Good ACT Score? The Definitive Guide

Learn what ACT score you need to become a competitive college applicant

Introduction

Each year, around 1.9 million students take the ACT, which measures students’ college readiness by testing four different skill areas: Math, Science, Reading, and English (with an optional writing test). Students should aim for a high composite score, which averages the scores of the four individual skill area tests. The composite score on the ACT is analogous to the SAT total score.

If your child is slated to take the ACT, you’ve probably got questions on your mind like: What is a “good” ACT score? What score should you aim for on the ACT if you want to attend a highly selective college? What is a bad ACT score? And if your child is not happy with her score, how can she improve?

In this guide, we’ll break down how to understand ACT scores and discuss what score your child needs in order to attend their dream college.

Understanding ACT scores

Each section on the ACT is scored from 1–36, based on how many multiple-choice questions the test taker answers correctly. On the ACT score report, these section scores are further broken down into categories. For example, within the Math section, students can see how they scored in categories like Geometry and Functions. The score report tells them how many questions per category they answered correctly, as well as the percentage of correct answers per category.

The score report also provides helpful comparative data. Like the SAT, the ACT provides college readiness benchmarks. If your student scores at or above the benchmark, she has at least a 50 percent chance of earning a B or higher in an introductory college course, and at least a 75 percent chance of earning a C or higher. Current benchmarks include 22 for math and 18 for English.

The ACT score report also includes state and national rank. Rank is another way of saying percentile. If your ACT score ranks at a 75 in your state, it means you scored higher than 75 percent percent of recent high school graduates in your state who took the test. If your national score rank is 80, it means you did better than 80 percent of recent grads across the country.

This is one way to measure whether you’ve done well on the ACT. A high national rank means you’re scoring competitively in a national pool.

What is a good ACT score based on national rank?

Based on 2021 rank data from ACT, if your child earns a composite score of 20 or above, she’s in the top half of test takers nationally. If she earns a 24 or above, she’s in the top quarter of test takers. A score of 31 or above falls into the top 5 percent, and a score of 35 moves her into the top 1 percent (i.e. the 99th percentile—she’s scored better than 99 percent of test takers).

However, rank data is only meaningful when you take into account your child’s college goals. A 20 may be average and a 31 may be outstanding in the national pool, but what do these scores mean when it comes to admissions?

In other words: Is a score of 31 also outstanding in a pool of Harvard hopefuls? What’s a good ACT score for top-10 universities? And what’s a good ACT score for Ivy League schools?

Here’s the bottom line: what you consider a good ACT score depends almost entirely on your child’s college goals.

What is a good ACT score for a top-10 school?

Let’s take a look at the composite scores of the incoming classes of top-10 national universities, as ranked by U.S. News and World Report. We’ve drawn on either self-reported data from each school or score information published by the CollegeBoard.

32 ACT Colleges: Best Schools That Accept a 32 ACT Score

The ACT is a standardized test administered nationwide that most colleges use as part of their application process to determine proficiency in math, reading, science, and English. Between the four portions, there are 215 questions designed to be answered in 2 hours and 55 minutes.

The ACT is rated on a scoring scale between 1 and 36, with the average score for the two million students who take the ACT each year is a 21.

Students can also choose to take an optional Writing portion, which is scored separately and differently. Designed to test a student’s ability to generate productive ideas, offer rationale, and organize their arguments, this optional portion adds 40 minutes to the test-taking time.

Is a 32 ACT Score (97th Percentile) Good?

When determining whether a score is “good” or “not-so-good,” we look at three things: opportunity, competitiveness, and chance of merit aid. A 32 ACT score makes you eligible to apply to any college, makes you a competitive candidate at all but a handful, and should earn you merit aid from both your potential future college or university, as well as from third-party scholarship providers. All that considered, yes, 32 is a good ACT score.

To show you just how good, we have to look at the percentiles. A 32 ACT score puts you at the 97th percentile — that means you scored higher than 97% all test takers! Congratulations!

What Colleges Can I Get Into with an ACT Score of 32?

A score of 32 is competitive for acceptance at just about any college and we’ve assembled a list of schools to consider below. It should be noted that a standardized test score by itself cannot guarantee admission but all of the following schools have set a precedent of admitting students who score a 32 on the ACT.

Should I Retake the ACT with a 32 Score?

You’re in a great position to go to college and, unless a college you really want to apply to wants a higher score, there’s no particular reason to retake it.

A 32 ACT not only makes you an eligible candidate for acceptance, it also makes you a competitive one. This high of an ACT score will also likely provide a decent amount of merit aid at most colleges and universities, especially paired with a decent GPA, whether it’s a large public university or a small private liberal arts college.

As a junior, you’ve likely started thinking about college already, but now that you’ve received your standardized test score, it’s time to really solidify your college list and start visiting campuses. If you don’t know exactly where you would feel most comfortable yet, don’t worry. Pay a visit to your school’s college resource center and consult a counselor. You can also attend sessions with visiting admissions officers to get a better idea of where you want to attend.

The only reason to consider retaking the ACT at this point would be if you have your eye on an Ivy League Institution. A 32 makes you eligible to apply, but it doesn’t make you the most competitive candidate. Falling in the 25th percentile of what they accept, a 32 is still a good score to apply with, but most students they accept fall in the 34-35 range, which makes up their 75th percentile. The higher your ACT score, the more difficult it can be to elevate it, even the few points that make up the distance between 32 and 35. With some concerted effort, though, it’s definitely possible. Take a closer look at your score breakdown and see where you can improve. You can also consider hiring a tutor if it’s financially in the cards.

As a senior, it may be late to try and retake the ACT, especially for colleges and universities with earlier deadlines, but it’s not out of the question if you’re determined to become a prime candidate for a selective institution. A 32 ACT, as stated previously, is a great score and will likely come with a significant amount of merit aid at most institutions, so focusing on your final year of high school and perfecting your college applications is a great next step. Writing a compelling personal essay and putting together a comprehensive list of your extracurriculars, projects, and after school activities will be extremely beneficial. Also, remember to contact any teacher who impacted your high school career and ask them to write a letter of recommendation.

32 ACT to SAT Equivalent

A 32 SAT score is equivalent to earning a 1450 to 1480 on the SAT. While what you earn on one test may not be what you earn on the other, this is a good way to understand how you compare to students taking the SAT.

The ACT and SAT have a few key differences, including in time management, tools used, and even content. If one test doesn’t seem to work with your testing style, it may be worthwhile to take a practice version of the other to see what your predicted score would be. Since you did so well on the ACT, though, there isn’t any pressing reason to do this in your case.

Scholarships for a 32 ACT Score

A 32 ACT score will earn you a sizable amount of merit aid, both from your potential college or university and from third-party scholarship providers. On top of merit aid, you should also apply to scholarships based on location, future major, extracurriculars, passions, and more! Get started using our extensive scholarship database today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 32 a good ACT score?

A 32 ACT score makes you eligible to apply to most (if not all) colleges, makes you a competitive applicant, and makes you eligible for merit aid. All that considered, yes, a 32 is a good score!

What colleges can I get into with a 32 ACT score?

What percentile is a 32 ACT score?

A 32 ACT score puts you at the 97th percentile, meaning you scored higher than 97% of all test takers.

What is the SAT equivalent of a 32 ACT score?

A 32 ACT score is equivalent to earning a 1450 to 1480 on the SAT.

What scholarships can you get with a 32 ACT score?

A 32 ACT score makes you eligible for merit aid from your future college or university, as well as from third-party scholarship providers. On top of applying for merit aid, make sure to apply for scholarships based on your location, passions, life circumstances, future major, and more.